Everafter, Volume 2
by polybi
Summary: "Good" and "Evil" must band together to save Storybrooke (and multiple worlds, including ours) from and even more vicious evil. Begins where Vol. 1 left off. SwanQueen and other non-canon relationships, including OC. Caution: Language and sensuality. Does not follow canon, but may have canon-esque content. Hope this is better. Comments truly welcome.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Hi._

_I'll try to make the a brief as possible. First apologies...I had already published the first part of this, but I knew I needed more. So for better or worse, here it is._

_This is the second (and last) volume. Since I started Everafter, I have learned a lot about how to do these things. I've written shorter stories and received good reviews and follows. So I decided to start all over at the point where Everafter Vol. 1 stopped._

_There will be enough to get the three people who have followed this story caught up, but the other thing I did not have starting was my incredible beta and co-author, Holly M., who has encouraged me and keep me from going off Stupid Cliff more often than not._

_If you are new to this, or have followed from the start, let us know how we're doing what we're doing right and not. And hopefully your patience will be rewarded with one hell of a story!_

_Spoilers: We're not following canon specifically, but as elements of the show come in, if we feel they belong, we'll place them in. ("Lacey" already has me interested)._

_This is fan fiction. OUAT is owned by Disney/ABC. I'm just having fun with the characters, who...if the voices in my head are any indication...like what I'm doing. At least someone does._

_Curtain going up..._

* * *

**Volume 2, Chapter One: "Dream a Little Dream"**

* * *

_**Six months before...**_

* * *

"_You would have been enough..."_

The last words that Cora Mills said to her daughter before everything went black.

No one ever timed the period between sleep and awake. Cora would not know. Death, of course, was eternal.

Unless, of course, what the Gods said about hell were correct. If so the time between death and hell was instantaneous...

Suddenly she felt a hand on her forehead. She woke with a start. She coughed as oxygen coursed through her as if it had not entered her body for years. That would be close to the truth.

There were five men surrounding her as she laid on the bed. This was not a crypt,...but a bedroom.

She recognized four of the figures: Her husband. A king named Leopold. The pirate Killian.

The bearded stranger was not recognizable. But the fifth she knew well. This man smiled like a viper as looked down on the woman trying to get her bearings.

"Welcome back, my dear," said the husky, reptilian man.

"Your highness," replied the former Queen of Hearts to the man she knew as King George.

And Cora wondered if she had descended from Storybrooke into hell. Actually, she didn't go anywhere...

* * *

_**Present**__.._

Cora Mills lay on the gurney. She was wearing a white gown. She was not used to the dress. Just a pure white smock. The otherwise empty room was pure white. The light from the ceiling was brighter than any sun.

She wanted to move but she couldn't. Her body could not respond to her mind's orders. And the orders were weak.

A door opened, and she could see that the outer room was also very white. The woman in dark pinned up hair strode into the room alone. She wore a white suit that Cora recognized as one a nurse would wear, from watching the moving pictures on the wall of her daughter's home.

The younger woman walked to the prone older one. The "nurse" smiled at Cora.

"There is a phrase they use in this world, Cora. It seems to fit. Payback is a bitch."

Then Eva brought two fingers to her own lips, kissed them, then place those fingers on the lips on Cora.

And for the first time in her life, Cora Mills was frightened to her core.

* * *

_**The morning after. Around 4am.**_

_Holly Morris felt strange. It was the strangest she'd felt in a long time._

_The first time in a long time that she went for days without her heart doing its version of Phil Collins from his Genesis days._

_She sat naked at the window of the guest room that Regina and Emma set up for her and Maleficent. She turned to her right and saw her blonde lover peacefully sleeping._

_Her lover._

_Even that was something she had to get used to. After a forever of one-two-and-three night stands, punctuated by the occasional fling, only to see the other run screaming in the night if she got to close, this seemed different._

_But she was getting used to different. In one week, she had seen dragons, monsters, witches, werewolves, genies, books that write themselves. She saw a woman pull her heart out of body, repair it, and put it back in her body. This was either the acid trip to end all acid trips...or her life had become, in essence, the SyFy channel._

_And the new list of friends she had: Snow White and Prince Charming...there was THE Evil Queen...not to mention that the witch who sent Sleeping Beauty to bed had just engaged in three hours of the most exquisite sex a woman can undertake. It was enough to see a shrink._

_Oh, and the shrink in town is Jiminy Cricket._

_Yeah, that makes sense..._

_It's the kind of stuff that would drive a sane person mad. But it was real. The Evil Queen was real. She was in her house, along with her lover Emma. Her niece was sleeping in her own guest room. And Maleficent...Mal...was real too. Very much real._

_The arms that suddenly surrounded Holly were definitely real. So were the full soft breasts touching her back. And the full lips that touched Holly's neck. And cheek. And lips._

_Those lips. Yes, God, this was real._

_Holly turned fully around, her arms embracing Mal's neck, and her lips consuming Mal's fuller ones. As the kiss got deeper and deeper, Holly Morris thought, this is heaven._

_But then from the corner of Holly Morris' eye, she saw hell._

_Hell approaching at almost light speed. What could only be describe as a cloud of fire roared through the town of Storybrooke. Holly and Mal could see the entire town consume by massive flames. They were frozen by terror._

_And the flames rushed right to the Mills Mansion. Right to their window. And Holly let a desperate scream..._

_NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!_

* * *

Immediately Holly sat up screaming. It was a nightmare. The most horrifying nightmare she could ever imagine. And she was not alone.

Mal sat up screaming too, as if they were dreaming the same horrible dream.

Then a cacophony of screams almost instantaneously coming from every room on the second floor. One scream got her attention more than others.

"MADDIE!"

Holly, on instinct, threw a robe on and ran out her guest room to the door next to that one where Maddie was sleeping. The young dark-haired girl was in total panic. She had a dream too. When Holly burst into the bedroom she made a beeline for her niece, who the hugger aunt and cried uncontrollably. Mallie was right behind her and tried to comfort the two.

"It was just a dream chicken...just a dream..."

It was a frantic trio the ran in the room next: Regina, Emma, and Henry. Tears streaking their faces, bodies trembling.

Emma was first to speak: "Did you guys have a bad dream?" Holly, Mal, and Maddie nodded.

Henry was next: "Lots of fire and stuff..? Holly, Mal, and Maddie nodded.

All Regina muttered was "Not again..." The last time this happened they were fighting dragons in Massachusetts.

It was at this point that cell phones were ringing. Emma had to go downstairs and get hers, then go back up and grab Regina's that was ringing madly. When they got back in Maddie's room, both Emma and Regina answered their respective phones.

Emma had Snow/Mary Margaret on the line: _"yes...we had the same one...dad too? Yeah, you can come over..."_

Regina had a frantic Kathryn:_ "Uh-huh...you and Fred had the same dream...so did everyone here...we'll call you in the morning..."_

Texts were loading both phones...

From Lacey (Belle more "outgoing" persona when Belle can't take the pressure): **I HAD A READ BAD NIGHTMARE...FIRE AND SH*T...**

From Red: **ANOTHER NIGHTMARE...THIS TIME REX HAD THE SAME ONE...HE'S IN COLD SWEATS.**

From Leroy: BAD DREAM BOSS. NOVA HAD THE SAME ONE, SO DID BLUE. WORSE THAN THE LAST ONE. BTW, THANKS FOR LAST NIGHT.

Holly and Maddie were new to all this. And now at about 4 in the morning they were getting a crash course in _Storybrooke 101: Shared Nightmares_.

"What the hell is happening?" Holly was asking in a small quivering voice, holding the head of a scared 12 year-old girl, both frightened out of their wits.

Mallie reached around to hug them both, while the Mayor of Storybrooke, knelt close to the two and said, "We'll find out. Together." Regina looked up to her lover, who reached out and held the mayor's hand. Regina Mills was trying to comfort a roomful of women...and trying to convince herself she can find an answer. The mayor, if you asked her, was not having much luck.

* * *

_**Storybrooke General Hospital, Ginger's Room**_

The blind could not see. But the blind can feel. The witch known as Ginger knew what she put out. She did not know where the images of fire came from, but she knew there was an unseen order from someone to send the images of fire out. She knew who would receive. She just didn't want to be the sender anymore. Maybe this was her punishment for the unspeakable things that she did.

Ginger was crying when Dr. Whale came in making late night rounds. There was something about Ginger that drew him to her. Maybe the fact that she, herself, could be known as a monster, like Whale was as Victor Frankenstein. But for a monster, the blonde woman was mentally fragile. She was at the verge of breaking and he didn't know why.

He walked to the bed, and sat next to her, charts in hand. She was ready for release in the morning anyway, wounds from the attack on her at Gold's shop all but healed. As he touched her hand, her other hand moved up Whale's upper body until she hung tight.

"Don't let me go, please...don't let me go." She cried uncontrollably into Whale's chest. He returned that hold. And though he wanted to do more, all he could do was hold her. For a long time.

* * *

_**The Convent, Sister Astrid's Room**_

Astrid.

It means _"beautiful princess."_

Blue thought about it. The curse was kind to Nova, giving her that name as her Storybrooke persona.

Reul Ghorm stood in the doorway, back in her Mother Superior garb. Nova had just gone to sleep when she stepped in the room. Leroy was sitting at her bedside. He never left her side when they came back from the nights adventure.

Sleepily, the dwarf ironically named Dreamy looked up to Blue and said, quietly, she just fell asleep. She had been awake since they returned just before midnight. It was now past 4. The fairy and the dwarf had many differences, and they would have to be sorted out soon. But they had one thing in common. One the fact that both, in their own way, loved the frail dwarf now sleeping soundly on the bed.

And there was something else. The Blue Fairy had the dream of fire. She doubted that either Nova nor Leroy had the dream, she the Blue Fairy did. And she knew they all were in danger.

And as she turned to fix another cup of black coffee, she silently cursed herself for not being there when Nova was kidnapped...to use whatever she could to prevent it.

Now she had another chance. A fighting chance. And as she stopped and turned to look in the crack in the door to seek the grumpy elf look down on Nova with love, the Blue Fairy knew she would not be alone.

* * *

_**Storybrooke General, Mr. Gold's Room**_

The imp had the dream.

It was not the worse dream he had ever had, but it was one that seemed to involve his death. And the death of everyone he cared for.

Of course, he was Mr. Gold. Rumplestiltskin. All he cared about was himself. It was why he went in with them in the first place. Went in specifically with _him_.

All that consumed him was revenge. Now, through the dream, he saw the fruit of his actions. The death of the town he created. The death of the woman he loved. They daughter only he knew of.

And as he lay alone, in the darkened hospital room, with only the accompaniment of the beeps of the monitors, and with all bravodo gone and tears streaming his face, he quietly said to himself, over and over, "What have I done? Dear Gods...what have I done...?"

**TBC**

_Well, here we go. I hope the final battle will go much better than the lead-up. More connections between Volumes 1 & 2 in the next chapter._

_I REALLY would love reviews on this. Thanks._


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N The city of Boston is a part of Once Upon A Time's DNA. It is part of this story's DNA. This story is being posted as the bombing story is developing. To all our readers and friend in Boston, our hearts and prayers go out to you._

_Reviews welcome. I own nothing. _

* * *

**Chapter 2: The Morning After the Night Before...**

* * *

_**6:27 am The morning of the dream.**_

_**Mallie and Holly's guest room in Regina Mills' mansion**_

_**Holly's POV **_

I've had nightmares before. The running ones. The drowning ones. The falling ones. The scary ones.

But I never had one that had fire rushing towards me. A tidal wave of fire.

Thankfully I woke up. Screaming, but I woke up. The woman I slept with woke up too. Same dream. The woman I loved. The woman who loved me back.

That fact...that a woman, or anyone for that matter, would want to be with me and not run was the most amazing thing of a week that constantly played can-you-top-this on me.

_Oh and how was your week, Holly? Oh, well I met this hot blonde cougar who thought I was the shit, we hit it off, and now me and my niece have run away with her to the sleepy little town in Maine._

_Oh, and I also fought off three dragons, a werewolf, and Rumplefuckingstiltskin, saved Boston with the help of Snow White, Prince Charming, The Big Bad Wolf, the Evil Queen, and a genie who looks like that bad guy from _Breaking Bad_. And my new girlfriend is Maleficent, the witch from Sleeping Beauty. And a part time dragon._

_And the Evil Queen ripped my heart out, repaired it and put it back and it's almost a s good as new. This after I almost died._

_Oh, and did I tell you I can now shoot fireballs from my ass._

_Beat that, bitches._

Maybe it all a dream. That I had a heart attack and all of this is going on while I'm in some goddamned coma. That this incredibly beautiful woman with luxurious lips and a more than perfect body is not real.

But she hugs me tight. That feels real.

She asks me if I'm alright. Sounds real (I told her I was).

Then she kisses me again. And again.

The hell with reality...

* * *

**7:55 am, same morning. Regina's kitchen**

It was the second time that 108 Mifflin Street had turned into what Emma would describe as Grand Central Station. Regina loved eggs out of the shell, but with the throng showing up at the mansion and the promise of something resembling breakfast forced her to break out the Egg Beaters. That, a skillet-full of sausage, and a loaf of bread for toast.

The everyday plates, silverware and glassware would do today. This was just a quick eat-and-chat with those who came, all brought together by the dream of fire.

Snow and Charming were there. The fact that Snow and Regina were civil to each other was a miracle in itself, let alone the fact that they had pretty much forgiven the other for past transgressions.

James was not that forgiving, but for the sake of peace, he gave civility a chance. He was rewarded with coldness at first, then one night, during Snow's "dark" period, for some reason he took Regina up on the offer of an ear. She listened, then she told him about the heart. About the dark spot. About how to make it shrink. And she told James she was in love with his daughter.

And yes we went ballistic, and yes he tried to strangle Regina on the spot, and yes Snow and Emma pulled him off and both gave him the message that as much as you may not like it, Regina and Emma were together, that the ship was sailing out of port, and to get on or get left behind.

Now the Snow and James and Emma and Regina are almost thick as thieves. They even laugh about the "lasagna seduction" of James/David before the curse was...reconfigured, you might say (It was Charming who mentioned "the only thing I missed was saying "Mrs Robinson, you're trying to seduce me.")

Ruby was there. Her granny was back at the hospital looking after Graham. After a year, it was still hard to believe that Rex was alive. She knew how he died. Even the reason. And yes it was hard to be around Regina after all that. But a year changes things. And in a funny way, Regina was one of the main reasons Ruby was alive. And the wolf could find a way to forgive the witch for one reason...if she was in the same situation, would Ruby have done the same thing. And if Snow and Regina could forgive each other...

Mother Superior was there. AKA The Blue Fairy. AKA simply Blue. AKA Reul Ghorm. Either way, fairies, or ex-nuns for that matter, should not look so beat up.

Blue spend most of the night attached to her protege. First, helping to rescue Nova from a house filled with ogres and trolls, all employed by whoever ordered Nova's kidnapping for whatever reason. Then having to deal with Nova and Dreamy later at what was the Convent. Or Grumpy. Or Leroy, whatever he calls himself.

_There was hugging, thanking. Then yelling and screaming as Leroy professed his love for the young fairy and Nova returned the compliment, as Blue tried to persuade her not to give up her calling as a fairy for the love of a dwarf._

_But Nova said it may be too stop anything. Nova's back was in pain because of the growing bumps on her back. She was becoming a full-fledged fairy anyway. But she also knew that she could also love like any other human. And both Leroy and Blue knew what that meant._

_Then the younger woman collapsed in tears, with both the dwarf and the fairy catching her. Leroy and Blue looked at each other with their arms clasped around Nova and they knew they both, in their own way, loved the younger woman. A quiet understanding. And as they took Nova to bed, Blue, with deep sigh, gave a reluctant blessing._

A Google Hangout was started on the laptop that was placed on the table. Emma had just started it up with a sleepy quartet...Henry, Holly, Mallie, and Maddie...made their way downstairs...slowly but with great hunger.

Regina observed that sausage and eggs cooking works better than an alarm clock, probably thinking of Emma's own scarfing sessions in the morning.

The four sleepily gathered around the table. There wouldn't be enough room for everyone, so Henry and Maddie stayed at the table, while Mallie and Holly stayed at the prep island, hands seemingly glued to each other.

"Looks like they have love flu," Emma observed to Regina, recounting their own experience with their hands stuck together almost a year ago thanks to that magical malady. Regina simply smiled, not just at the memory of what happened to them that time, but the fact that it seems her best friend from the Enchanted lands has found her heart in this one.

* * *

**8:10 am The Hangout.**

_The hangout started with the laptop now hooked into Regina's large flat screen in the den. The camera was posted for a wide shot of those at Regina's. Pictures of those chiming in remotely were filling up the screen at the bottom._

_Snow started the session by asking everyone on to relay their recollections of the dream they had last night. It was universally the same: a happy thought, a pleasant dream, followed by a Storybrooke being engulfed in flames..._

Regina: So what does it all mean...and why does it seem we're all getting this dream?

Holly: Wait I have to ask, is this a Storybrooke thing? I had that dream, and so did Maddie...same dream that Mal had...

Maleficent: It's like I tried to tell you this morning, honey. When we lived in the Enchanted Forest, people would receive messages about things that were to happen through dreams. It could be good or bad, but you got the dream because what happened involved you personally.

Maddie So we're gonna die...?

Blue: Now sweetheart, it doesn't mean that we're going to die, but what it does mean is that we are all involved in whatever is going to happen and if we don't act, what happens in the dream would be a result.

Granny (on screen): I've had several message dreams before. The last one we ignored.

Holly: What happened?

Granny: Storybrooke. That's what happened.

Snow: Guys, let not bring up old business. Dr. Whale, how are all the people at the hospital.

Dr. Whale (on screen): They're all doing fine. Your dad, Regina, is stable, so is Gold. They're going to be here for a couple of days.

Emma: And what about that blind woman who was attacked at Gold's store.

Whale: She's being released today. I'll be taking care of her afterward...

Snow: Oh, really?

Whale: It's _not_ that. This is different.

Holly: What gives...

Regina: Oh, nothing...just that before she attached herself to Charming, Ms. Blanchard and the good doctor had one of his famous one-night...examinations..

Whale: ...and I was nursing a nice shiner that David administered to me when he found out...nice right, by the way.

David: Any time...and I mean it.

Maddie: This isn't Storybrooke...it's Port Charles...

Holly: Chicken...

Maddie: Ok...

Granny: Chicken?

Holly: Just a nickname...

Snow: Can we get back to business? Anything else?

Whale: Ok...Graham was released this morning...

Granny: He has a room here at the inn. That's why Ruby's with you this morning...

(_Ruby waves and mouths "Hi Granny!" Eugenia Lucas responds with a smile..)_

Whale: Graham was only in for shock. Gold had knife wounds to his back and side. He should be alright.

Emma: Sounds like Hook. That's one down.

Whale: Ginger was also suffering from shock. But about your father, Regina.

Regina: Yes...

Whale: His injuries seem more internal. As if someone or something went in and caused the damage

Emma: Cora.

Regina: No...I still don't believe that she's alive. And if she is...she wouldn't harm Daddy.

Emma: She harmed you.

Regina: Maybe...but not Daddy.

David: So now what?

Emma: Well, we have a busy day. A lot of people we need to question. Ruby and I are going to talk to a lot of people. And Gold's the first up.

Regina: I'm coming with you.

Emma: Why?

Regina: Daddy. And I have a few questions of Rumpelstiltskin myself.

Blue: And...ah...Holly, isn't it?

Holly: Yes...?

Blue: You and your niece will need to know a lot more about this town, and the people in it. And soon. And Holly...

Holly: yes...?

Blue: Regina tells me that you have...abilities?

Holly: Why are you asking?

Blue: We need to find how how you got them.

Holly: Look, I love you guys, but I'm not going to be some pincushion...

Regina: Has this happened before...have you been...examined?

Blue: You are not a pincushion, and you will not be...but if you have any powers we need need to know what they are. You had the dream too, as well as your niece. There has to be a reason for that. And we need to know, Holly. You need to know, too.

* * *

**TBC**

Next: Questions. Answers. And the fate of Cora.


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: If Kyle Anderson's spectacular review of _The Evil Queen in Entertainment Weekly _suggests, The Boys are bound and determined to force us ERs to **hate** Regina. Good luck. It seems that both Henry and Snow will get what's coming to them. So yes we will root for the Bad Girl._

_As for this, I put a lot of me in this chapter. And I do hope you like this. After all. To some extent...we're all freaks._

_The usual disclaimers..._

* * *

**Location Unknown. 7am**

**Cora's POV**

Can't think..clear...never felt...like..this..before. Arms can't move...legs numb...can't speak...nothing responds...no magic...no magic. I hear voices...both familiar. Eva...is one...but who is...the...man...? They seem to be...laughing...what are they saying...talking to two other..people...what...is going...on? Punishment...for what I have done?

They're coming in now...Eva...two other...a woman...dark-skin...light-skin...man...Don't know them...who..the...other man...no...can't be...is it...Leopold?

The metal...on my head...no...not again...for the...love..of...the...gods.,...please..._NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!_

* * *

**Regina Mills' mansion. Kitchen.**

**Later that morning.**

Holly Morris was dazed. If last 10 days enough, Now she had to sit through a truncated history lesson about the town of Storybrooke, Maine. Thankfully, Mallie and my niece Maddie were at my side as sat thru the first lecture.

The fact that it was given, in part. by a grade school teacher didn't help.

She'd heard the first part before...about Regina and the stable boy and the secret. The apple. True loves kiss. The whole nine yards. henry bringing Emma to Storybrooke. Regina's battles with Emma that somehow turned to love. The so-called final war that really had no resolution. Everything.

Holly heard it all days ago. Only now it was a history lesson from her teacher Mary-Margaret Blanchard, aka Snow White. Mary-Margaret felt she had to go over that simply to explain almost everything else. That all the characters from all the fairy tales Holly and Maddie ever read were real and living, all in one small town.

Sitting next to the pair, with hands firmly in Holly's, was Judge Mallie Crow, the Storybrooke persona of the Evil Fairy/part-time dragon/current lover Maleficent. The good thing about having your mind blown within 10 days is that now, things you thought were the products of an insane mind now seem normal. Whatever normal was.

The real purpose of this coffee table discussion, was to give aunt and niece a Cliff's Notes version of what Storybrooke really is, simply to prepare her for what might happen. Who knows when someone could lob fireballs at you for whatever reason.

The laptop was set on the table as the Google Hangout proceeded. Various members of the community introduced themselves.

Dr. Archie Hopper, aka Jiminy Cricket, the town shrink. Dr. Victor Whale, aka Dr. Frankenstein (yes THAT one...the good doctor gave a gentle warning not to do any jokes that had to do with "it's alive" or antipasto.)

Ashley Boyd, young working mom, aka Cinderella (Ashley insisted on Ella, the Cinder part was really dumb anyway). Big Tiny, who works at the mine is really Jack's giant.

And on it went. For three hours, it was an electronic parade of Storybrooke residents. I would be enough to make a normal head spin, but Holly and Maddie gave up on normalcy long ago, even before she bumped into an Evil Queen in an elevator 10 days ago.

Sitting next to Mary-Margaret/Snow was the Mother Superior/Blue Fairy. Blue had gone through hell the previous night, rescuing her protege, then dealing with the fact that said protege, a fairy, was in love with a dwarf. But then it seems much of the town had gone through a wringer in the last few days...they many of them knew it was about to get worse..

And after meeting pretty much half of Storybrooke through Google Plus, Snow and Blue let the other shoe drop...

* * *

**Sheriff's Office 9:57am**

It was going to be a long day. Emma knew that her mom and Blue would talk with Holly about what was going on. And that Mallie was there to hold her hand. Ruby was out getting coffee, so that left the sheriff alone in the office with the Mayor.

Usually that would mean extracurricular activity on someone's desk, but there was much to do. Plus, Regina looked deep in thought. Then the brunette looked up at the blonde. Regina looked like she would burst into tears...

**Regina's POV**

I don't know why it popped into my mind. I was doing so well with these issues (thank you, bug. Really...) I shouldn't. We'll be married soon and I thought we got past all this...that _**I **_got past all this. But I had to know.

I looked up at Emma. Gods, she is the most beautiful being in the universe.

Please don't let me screw this up.

"Emma..."

She smiles that cockeyes smile of hers and says "yes?"

Remember a couple of years ago? The beanstalks?

I had found the garden that the Charmings put up. Actually one Charming. It really wasn't Snow's idea...but James had this stupid notion of a beanstalk that everyone would climb to go back to the Forest. And leave me behind. Alone.

I blurted it out. "Would you have gone up?"

The tear that ran down my cheek betrayed me.

Emma stopped what she was doing and came over to me. She sat on my lap. She looked me in the eye. She said only one word.

"No."

She was telling the truth. Amazing what you pick up when being with some people for a long time. She picked up my love for Game of Thrones, and I picked up her superpower.

"I knew that if they went no one would want you to come. I know how its like to be alone, and no one deserved that. Not to mention that there was no way i could love without you and Henry." She said those words slowly, deliberately, I guess to make sure that I understand.

She had me at "no," anyway.

Yes, Snow came back, because she missed Emma, but that was beginning of our our healing. Charming followed. Then everyone else. The stalks are still there. And folks will have a chance to go back. But I know I am staying here. With my Emma. And our son.

And though we shouldn't have because we had all we had to do, we kissed. All of my doubts were dead. My love was alive. Yes, Daniel, I do love again. And I will forever.

We kissed...then the door to my office opened.

"Erp...coffee anyone?"

You gotta love that wolf's timing...

* * *

**Mills Mansion; Holly's guest room. 10:05 am**

**Holly's POV**

I'm angry. I'm frustrated. I'm worried. But I'm thrilled. I'm in love. I'm a mess.

I use to good to be true. I thought I was going to come to do really nice small town with my niece, making love to this incredibly beautiful woman. Now I find out that's all they want to do is poke me and test me and see what little magic tricks I can do for them. This was for the moment I was afraid of. I just didn't think it would come in the middle of a beautiful dream. And maybe this all of this was just a beautiful dream. Hot woman falls in love with me we have beautiful sex...then the bottom falls out.

So do when I always feel cornered. Yell. Scream. Curse. Curse again. Throw dinnerware at people. Curse again. Yell at Chicken. Yell at everyone. Then run to my room and cry all night.

Nothing changes.

All because I'm a freak. A goddamned freak that can move dinnerware and throw fireballs and shit.

Made up my mind then. Grab Maddie, throw our crap in the Mazda, drive back to Boston as fast as I can. Maybe not even stop. Keep going to North Carolina. Maybe Florida. Maybe Cuba if the car can make it.

Door opens. Mallie.

I know how it goes. How can you? Throw a dish at me? Call me...I was pretty colorful.

But she throws me a curve. SHe's not screaming. Not yelling. She just looking at me. her eyes are soft. Watery.

She sits next to me. She puts her hand on mine. I tried to shoo it away, but she doesn't let go. I try to tell her. Ever since I was small, when I found out I can do these strange things, I knew I was a freak. It was bad enough that I was smarter than most of the kids I went to school with, that I could read better than most kids. That alone made me a freak. Foster parents sent me in to be examined. Some doctor said that I was in the genius level. Big deal. A bigger freak. Now all this. No one could know. I even hid it from Maddie until she caught me 8 years ago. Then all that shit in Boston. I'm a fucking freak!

Then I started to cry. Hard. The hardest I cried in years.

But she still sat there. With her hand on mine.

Then when I calmed down a little, she took her free hand, lifted my chin, and looked in my my wet, red eyes.

And she told me that she was a freak too.

And so was Regina. And Emma. And Snow and Charming and Ruby. And just about everyone in that town. And yes, they want to know what you I do.

She tells me that I got that dream of fire because I am supposed to be here, in this town of freaks.

Then she said, if anyone tries to do anything to Maddie or me, she'd show them how much of a freak she was.

She said that she knew how it felt like to be ridiculed and shunned. That she did some terrible things to get back. And that this was her chance to be redeemed.

Then she said, "I love you , Holly."

And I collapsed in tears into Mallie's body and emptied myself against her.

So much for leaving.

* * *

**Location Unknown. 2am. the next morning**

The room was dark and Cora was barely conscious. She could not think after the treatments were given She could not comprehend clearly. So she could not truly see the woman who can into the room.

The woman acted quickly, throwing a blanket over Cora's body. Looking carefully if anyone was coming, She whispered in Cora's ear. " We're getting you out. Not much time."

And before she sped the gurney out of the room and down the hall, and introduction: "By the way. I'm Miss Bell. Friends call me Tink..."

**TBC**


	4. Chapter 4

_Sorry for the delay. Bad case of writer's block and life. Haven't found solutions to either._

_Actually, we're getting to the meat of this. Be patient._

_The usual disclaimers._

* * *

**Mr. Mills**

Henry Mills, Sr. lay still in his hospital bed as he is surrounded by Mayor Regina Mills, his daughter, Sheriff Emma Swan and Deputy Sheriff David Nolan.

After all this time, he does not know why the dark-haired woman who is his daughter...and who literally ripped his heart out...would still be the only think in this world he would even love. he had a chance for revenge, but he did not take it. It is the main reason he was in the hospital.

Sheriff Swan told the the old man quietly that they had a few questions and that they would try not to press too much. Hank Mills nodded.

The sheriff and the deputy started asking.

"Who did this to you...?"

Silence.

"Can you tell me if Killian Jones was involved?"

Silence.

"What about Gold?"

SIlence.

"Can you give is a motive...a reason?"

Silence.

"Did...did Cora Mills do this to you?"

"No." It was a definitive a "no" as can be.

The Mayor looked up to the Sheriff with pleading eyes. "Emma..."

The sheriff and the deputy said they may be back when the old man was up to it. They left the hospital room, but not before the sheriff looked back on the mayor and her father. They mayor had a tear in her eye and small sad smile on her face. The sheriff returned the smile and left the room.

* * *

**Ian Gold**.

Rumpelstiltskin was not his usual wisecracking self. Neither version of Belle/Lacey was in the room. His son had not been seen since he went down that rabbit hole. He was alone. Bruised. Wanting to die.

The last person he wanted to see was the last person to see Bae/Neal before he got sucked into the hole again. Not to mention her daddy.

His manner was uncharacteristically terse to the daughter-father duo. None of his trademark flowery gestures. Just a short, almost mumbled "hello." The man only had only two things on his mind. One was suicide. He was done with all this. What started out as elaborate mischief had left a rancid taste in his mouth. And he was all alone. But before he went, the crocodile would end his chaser.

Emma was direct and to the point with her questions. To her surprise the Dark One was exceedingly candid.

Yes, Boston was a ruse to get certain people out of town. He still did not know who the strange woman was who stopped his plans in their tracks. And it seemed he didn't care.

Yes, Cora was involved. And Hook. the elder Henry was at first, but he tried to push back.

Yes, Albert Spencer was involved. The ringleader. King George. Figures.

Yes, Graham was involved, but he tagged along only to try to kill Regina. Obviously, that failed.

"Anyone else?," asked the Sheriff.

"Yes," replied the imp.

But Gold seemed hesitant to provide the name. Maybe he feared a reprisal. Maybe he was right...

"His name here is...Leo White."

It took a few moments for both Emma and David it process that information, and other few seconds for mild manned David Nolan to become a madman, rushing the bed, and grabbing the collar of Gold's sleepwear, knocking the monitoring equipment to the side and disconnect much of it.

"So help me you _sonufabitch_...if you're fucking lying to me, I WILL END you!" As Emma tried to pry her father off of Gold, she knew this was not her dad. Or idiot David. Or Charming. This was a man who was protecting what was his. Protecting his Snow.

Leo White was King Leopold. The man Regina had killed. The man who, in essence, raped Regina every night.

Snow's father. He was alive again.

And as Whale and various orderlies burst in and removed David from Gold, the imp just laid there, all the fight had left him, as if he was hoping Nolan would end him.

WIth Emma looking at her young father with concern, David straightened himself off, said he need to go back to the office to calm down and walked out of the room, doctor and assistants in tow. Emma was about to leave too...

"Wait."

Emma turned around and walked toward Gold. She'd seen that look before. Scores of times on Regina when the world beat her down to submission. She never thought, though, she would see it on Ian Gold, master dealmaker.

But there he was, eyes brimming with water, breaths staccato.

"Sheriff Swan...I am not asking for your forgiveness, I deserve none. But you still are the savior. You have to stop him."

"Who?"

"King George."

There was a look on the Sheriff's face, the look one would get waiting for a shoe to drop.

"George has more power than us all combined, dearie.."

Swan's lie detector said Gold wasn't lying.

"There is one more thing, Sheriff Swan...as you would say, for record..."

She listened.

"When Hook attacked me, it was Cora who begged him off. She saved my life..." The imp paused and sighed. "I did not deserve that..."

Emma nodded, turned and left the room.

He was telling the truth about everything. And the thought of Cora being alive and linked to Albert Spencer sent a shiver through her.

The vibration of her Galaxy III shook the sheriff out of her reverie. Three messages. The first warmer her heart.

"_DADDY'S FINE...WE HAD A NICE TALK. HE FORGIVES ME. I LOVE YOU PRINCESS!"-Regina_

The second sped her heart up a bit out of concern...

"_EMMA, I NEED TO TALK TO YOU AND REGINA TONIGHT. SNOW WILL BE THERE. VERY IMPORTANT.."-Blue_

And the other stopped her heart cold.

"_MISS SWAN, I AM AT THE SHERIFF'S STATION. I'M TURNING MYSELF IN. KILLIAN."_

That was enough to have Emma Swan racing out of the hospital back to the station.

* * *

**Truck Stop just outside of Peabody, NH**

**Inside a black, unmarked Ram ProMaster Van, 8:30 pm of that same day**

Two women walked towards the van. One had light skin, blonde hair cut pixie style. her figure was slight and she wore a simple green dress and sweater. The other woman had medium cut dark hair, much darker skin and wore similar colored clothing with a shawl around her neck. They both were very wary, as if they were expecting someone they did not want to run into.

When they got to the van, the occupants were waiting. The sliding door swung open, and the pair rushed inside with their cargo.

"Ok, five 10 oz. burgers and fries..." The blonde, who called herself Tink, distributed the burger bags...

"Rory." Young dirty blonde girl in her 20's riding shotgun..

"Maggie," Ebony-hair young Asian woman on the driver's side...

"Tammy," The young African-American woman who accompanied Tink...who complained about being called "Tammy."

And the final bag of food went to a thirtysomething man with a receding hairline. "Thanks, Tink..."

"You're welcome, Greg.."

"We also got some soup in the thermos for when our guest wakes up..."

The said guest lay on a back seat of the van, still unconscious. Cora Mills seemed to make attempts to awaken during the trip from where she was held where she is right now. Tink's cell rang and she answered.

"Do me a favor, Maggie, make damned sure that you hold me back when that old woman wakes up." Rory was grumbling between bites of burger. "I owe her a left hook..."

Maggie turned to look at her companion. "Princess...Rory...we have bigger fish to fry. We need to deliver the package as soon as possible."

Meanwhile Tink was on the phone: "Yeah we got her...she's still out, we got her some soup when she wakes up...no it's WHEN...they didn't kill her...its not just her...they should be finding out that their two top operatives are missing too...it won't take much to add two and two...It was magic all right...how else do could you get her OUT of Storybrooke and into New Hampshire that quick..."

"What else?...Oh, fuck...both of them?...how?...Remind me to get that Maleificent a vibrartor for Christmas...you think its the real thing? Well, great for her, and for her new girlfriend...for us..don't know..."

"Text me when we get back to base...out."

Tink looked down at the sleeping cargo. Cora looked peaceful. Considering what they they did to her, peacefulness was a gift from the gods.

"So..." Greg seemed very nervous as he prepared to chomp away at his burger. "..how long will it take for them to figure out Cora's gone...and we're with them?"

Tamara calmly replied, "Oh about...now."

The dark-skinned woman pointed to the video screen connected to the rear camera on the van that showed two black Lincoln MKTs. Disembarking from the autos were four Men-In-Black, two each, complete with earpieces and hands seemingly in the get-ready-to-fire position.

Rory summed up the situation succinctly: "We're fucked!"

Tink: "Not as fucked as you think. Maggie, how close can I get us to Storybrooke?"

The young Asian woman already had her laptop out and had Google Maps at the ready. "Fort Williams Park...that's just outside of town."

Tink knew what to. She raised her arms and held her hand flat against the roof of the van. "Tamara, hold Cora down...get ready everyone."

The Men-In-Black were about to attack the van when they heard a loud squealing noise, then light...probably the brightest light they had ever seen...surrounded the van. And within seconds the light was gone.

So was the van.

* * *

**TBC**

* * *

_Ok...not the best, but it gets us there. _

_I promise, HUUUUUGE Giant Economy-sized revelations about a lot of folks in the next chapter or two._

_COMMENTS PLEEEEEEEEEEASE!_


	5. Chapter 5: Reincarnation

_**Thanks to Holly M for helping me write this. Thanks to for your support. Thanks to karjens44 for the kind review. You guys keep me at this.**_

_**This is probably THE longest, if not one of the longest chapters of anything I have ever written.**_

_**Kitsis/Horowitz/ABC owns OUAT.**_

_**Hang on...**_

* * *

_**The Complex**_

_**The Room**_

_**Before the escape**_

_Cora though she heard a familiar voice through the darkness. At this point, after the "treatments," she did not know what was real and what was not._

_Was it Eva? Or was it...?_

_The shadow in the room, illuminated only by the light coming through the door. There was the long hair...it may have been Eva, but was she quite sure._

_She spoke._

_**You are so pathetic Cora. You were pathetic when I met you and your are pathetic now. Had I know now what I knew then I would have killed you on the spot. **_

_**You once told me that poison became me...well, this becomes you. You ruined all my plans...for my daughter...for my kingdom...for my conquest.**_

_Oh this was not the kindly Eva that everyone knew as queen. This was the Eva that would piss on you as much to look at you._

_**Don't worry...your highness...we will keep you alive. But once I...my King...and our...benefactor destroy your daughter's beloved Storybrooke...we will have ultimate power. But not until we have extracted the...source.**_

_**And then I will see you die. As you saw me die. Sleep well...your highness**_

_The kiss she planted on Cora's lips was acrid. It was the literal kiss of death._

_And she thought she heard an evil chuckle from "Eva's" voice._

_The door then closed. It was dark again._

_And Cora Mills...what was left of her, quietly wept._

* * *

_**Sheriff's office, town of Storybrooke, ME**_

When Sheriff Emma Swan burst into the office, there were two men seated at her desk. One was her deputy August Booth. The other, Killian Jones, Captain of the good ship Jolly Roger, otherwise known as Hook.

Hook was handcuffed to a chair. Noticeably absent was his usual face of bravado. This was a much different Jones. Emma's "superpower" to detect the truth also came with some ancillaries: one being the ability to detect emotion. It was the reason the blonde was able to see through every mask that Regina Mills put up to hide the fact that the brunette was head over heels in love with her. And now, Emma could see through Hook. The man wanted redemption. And the man was scared.

She just had to find out what.

"Well, Mr. Hook...nice seeing you this fine day...the new jewelry fits you." Emma was referring to the cuffs attached to the wrist attached to the good hand. They're relationship was almost like the one she had with Regina at first. Verbal sparring and flirting. In fact it was here word-swaps with Madame Mayor that honed her skills

.

But today the pirate was having none of that. The sheriff's new prisoner was all business.

"As much as I would like to spar, sheriff, we don't have time. Shit, as you so colorfully put it many times, has just become real."

August asked if Emma needed anything, she said "Go to the Inn and check on Leroy." August told her to call him if she needed backup, and she nodded. He didn't really need to _check_ on the local drunk dwarf, but he also knew when to make himself scarce, and do it gracefully.

So now it was just the Sheriff and the Pirate.

Sheriff: "Ok, talk."

Pirate: "Very well. First, the crocodile..."

Hook told of what happened a few nights ago, when he and his party materialized in Gold's shop. The imp's deception with the dragons worked well until a rogue dragon arrived and spoiled almost everything in Boston. But it worked well for the trio the pirate was working with.

Sheriff: "Who were they...?"

Hook's answer confirmed her suspicions about who was behind this: Cora was one, so was Spencer (King George), and Leo White...the revived King Leopold...Snow's father...and Emma's grandfather.

He recounted that night. One of the things that happened was Spencer berating Gold angrily for botching one of the two things he was charged with...the death of Regina Mills. That was Graham's job, but he was stopped by a woman with magic.

Emma realized that he could only be talking about their new friend Holly.

"Does he know who that was...?"

"No. He left before everything. And from what I know, that wolf never met her before." Wolf meaning Graham.

Emma was relieved a bit...for now. Relieved because if Ian Gold knew about Holly...if any of these people knew, they'd go after her.

The pirate continued: "Spencer was angry...not because of what happened in Boston...that was only a diversion to get you out of Storybrooke long enough..." Jones hesitated a bit...maybe he didn't want to say more...but he had turned himself in mainly for protection...and something else. "..so he could arrange a kidnapping."

Emma: "Sister Astrid?" Though the sheriff may had already known the answer. It was confirmed with a nod from the pirate. Emma followed up with a "Why..?"

Jones: "They wanted the dust. The plan was to blackmail the Mother Superior to get it."

Some of this started to make sense, at least some of the motive.

Hook continued, but there was an increasing urgency. "There was another reason. Spencer wanted Regina dead. He could not pull it off..."

Emma held on to her emotions. Too many times she had lost her Regina. Hook's next words probably saved his life...

"It was not my idea. That was personal between Spencer and Her Majesty. Gold protested, but Spencer wanted no part of it. He just wanted Rumplestiltskin dead. Spencer wanted me to take care of that duty, and as you well know, I was more than happy to oblige."

Emma: "So you attacked Gold...?"

Hook: "I _started_ to attack him, but she stopped me..."

Emma: "_Cora_..?"

Hook: "Yes. She pulled me away. I guess she still had feelings for him. The same...the same I have for her. In fact, she's the reason why I turned myself in..."

The pirate then told of what happened next...

_Gold tried to escape. He actually made it out the door when Hook saw a blast that came from Spencer's outstretched hands. _

(Jesus, Emma thought, does _everyone_ have powers?).

_The blast hit Gold hard, but he got up and stumbled away._

_What happened next was an argument of epic proportions, with Spencer blaming first Gold, then Hook, but mostly Cora, who seemed to have developed some semblance of a conscience. When the former Queen of Hearts told Spencer that she was having second thoughts about The Plan, Spencer went ballistic. He slapped Cora hard. Hook went to the woman's defense and suddenly found himself airborne, ending his flight hard against the store wall. _

_When he awakened, a very attractive blonde woman had applied a cold compress on the Captain's head. He noticed that the woman was sight impaired (Must have been that Ginger woman, thought Emma). She did not mention a name, but she was very insistent that he left the store. He asked why, but she didn't answer. After everything that happened, the Captain was not going to press._

"So then, what happened?, asked the Sheriff.

Hook replied, "I stumbled out of the store. Everyone had left. I went back to the Jolly Roger. I tried to use that telephone device. Tried over and over. But no answer."

"Who were you trying to call?"

It was then that Killian Jones, for one of the few times in his life started to fight emotion. The bottoms of his eyes were watery and his voice quivered slightly as he gave his answer.

"I think he took her. Cora. She's gone..."

* * *

_**Granny's Inn/12 noon that day**_

_**Holly's POV**_

The young woman was probably in her late 20's or early 30's. Her hair was jet black, skin was light. Her lips were red as apples, and she looked like she could give waitress Ruby a run for her money in the "dress-like-a-slut" department.

She had come in the Inn for her usual Cinnamon Dolce Latte Grande, and to participate, however unknowingly, in one of Storybrooke's favorite games, "Who The Hell Was This Woman in Fairytale Land?" Although the citizens would rather you say Enchanted Forest.

Anyway, today's contestants: Me...not knowing what the smuck was going on...Maddie, who was busy pretending she was Swiss...and my Mallie, who was providing play-by-play...

I mentioned that she looked like Janet from Breaking Bad. All Mallie knew was this this chick's name was Chloe, and she was here in Storybrooke for as long as she could remember. All Maddie knew is that she wanted seconds of hot cocoa.

I was looking over this Chloe. Not bad. Nice lips. Has an attitude. Kinda like 'tude. But she wasn't Mallie. Not by a long shot.

Maddie had noticed the inspection. "You just _got_ a girlfriend..looking for a replacement _already_?"

"Keep it up, kid or you'll be Chicken _Fricassée_...!"

I knew that Mal would have probably blanched at Mallie's remark under any other

circumstance...and not to mention my witty (IMHO) comeback. But my baby was learning that this was our little comedy routine. We truly do love each other...even though you had to look close sometimes to tell. I reached and squeezed Mallie's hand to show that I loved her too. Very much.

"_Ahhhh_, young love!" Suddenly this Chloe person was at the table. God this bitch was phony (in fact, she reminded me of that woman from that _Apt 23_ thing that was on for a week). Then she grabbed my hand and shook vigorously. Damn her grip was tight _(and you know what they say, tight grip...ahh, skip it!)_. She introduced herself, and we did the polite this-is-me-and-that-is-her deal. When I mentioned I just came in to town it looked like her radar went up. _(Mallie later told me that may have been because the curse was set up to make sure no outsiders came into the town...and that I was the first in a long time...but I digress...) _Then I asked her what does she do in town. "Oh, I just hang around..."

"...maybe you might want to '_hang'_ somewhere else, dear...or else I could arrange you to be _well_ hung...I do have the rope."

Chloe's features when white, and her 'tude went south. "Yes Madame Mayor." Chloe went all submissive and demurely left the table. And the Inn.

Gotta hand it to Regina Mills. Bitch has skills.

Her red lips found mine, then Chicken's forehead, and finally, as she sat down next to Mallie, hers.

Her regal demeanor dimmed a bit. Eyes were red. Crying-for-hours red. But she was smiling.

"I saw daddy today."

Mallie hugged her best friend, and Maddie and I reached out our hands to hers. I did not know much of her story then, but I knew that she her dad and now he has returned. I figured I would get answers later, but right now, we were all happy Regina was happy.

_**Mallie's POV**_

This was the happiest I've ever seen Reggie. And the saddest. And definitely the most candid. We sat ostensibly waiting for Emma to meet us at the Inn. But any time I can spend with Holly right now I'll take.

Reggie reminisced about happier time with her father and, yes, with her mother as well. It wasn't always that the Mills family was as dysfunctional as they turned out to be. There was many a time that I wished that she was in a happier lighter place. That she could have married Daniel and have a family and have the simple life she truly wanted in the beginning. But then we would have never have met. I would have never been her best friend. I would have never come to Storybrooke. I would have never met Holly and Maddie.

Everything for a reason, I guess.

Reggie also got candid about how the curse was, including how her father's hearts played a role.

She was afraid that it would turn Holly off, not only on her friendship with Reggie, but what we were starting to have. But Holly reached her hand over to Reggie's and squeezed, giving her a very compassionate look. I think her heart got larger after Reggie took it out, fixed it, and put it back in.

It's at that time that Our Sheriff (and her honey) rushed in. And I do mean rushed. Emma looked like she had just been trapped in a Cuisinart with dial set at fluffy. It was about 5 and Em and Reggie were supposed to meet Blue at 6...supposedly very important.

My antenna went up when Emma got a text from Blue: she needed Holly there as well. I was tagging along and now one would dare stop me.

Arrangements were made with Granny for Holly's niece to stay with her while we were gone. and while we were scrounging around for cocoa money, Emma related what she had found out. About Spencer. About Gold.

And about Leopold. Snow's dad. And Snow didn't know yet. Gods!

Oh, and Cora's missing. Great gods!

* * *

_**A few minutes before 7**_

_**The Former Convent**_

_**The outskirts of Storybrooke**_

Reul Ghorm never took a vow of either poverty or chastity. She just woke up one day as a nun. The pretend Mother Superior over pretend nuns in a pretend convent overlooking a pretend city. She was, and always will be a fairy, not Sally Field.

The Blue Fairy knew inside her that this night would come. She had kept the secret for years. And she knew revealing it would probably lead to her end. But she also knew that it had to be done. She knew that the moment had come when the reason she did what she did was at hand.

That she had to reveal that she was the cause of it all.

She wished that Nova was there. After all of the disagreements, after everything...including Dreamy...that she loved the young fairy as if she were her daughter.

She looks out at the late afternoon view of the convent ground, two arms surround her body. Her dress would be a scandal to the Mother Superior, but Blue knows that it's the young woman's way.

The young brunette's embrace tightens around the older woman, and a kiss touches the cheek of Reul Ghorm. The Blue Fair smiles warmly.

Suddenly, the women spy a black Mercedes entering the grounds. They're right on time.

The women agree the the younger should make herself scarce at this point.

"Besides," says the younger woman, "the package should be here by now...I have to be there when it arrives."

Reul Ghorm nods and gives a smile of acknowledgement. "I love you, Chloe."

"I love you mom."

And as the young brunette races out the door, Blue turns and sees the five women step out of the Benz: Regina, Emma, Snow, Maleficent, and the newcomer, Holly.

The Blue Fairy inhales deeply, then lets that breath out.

"It's showtime, folks."

_**To be continued**_


	6. Chapter 6: Book of Revelations Part 1

_First, happy birthday to Lana._

_I am getting to the meat of this story, and hopefully there will be a light at the end of the tunnel. And that by next chapter it will all make sense._

_So your comments, even critical ones, are definitely welcome_

_OUAT is property of Disney/ABC. Don't trust the B... is property of Fierce Baby Productions, Hemingson Entertainment and 20th Century Fox. There's a reason..._

* * *

**Snow's POV**

Reul Ghorm is at least 625 years old. She will only admit to 500. She's a bit vain.

She is also the best friend I have ever known.

We planned and fought wars together. She helped me protect my daughter. She protected me when we all were brought to Storybrooke.

I've known her when she was happy. Which was rare.

I've known her when she was miserable. Which was and is often.

But I have never, in all the years I have known her, seen her frightened.

But tonight. Reul Ghorm. the Blue Fairy, was scared shitless.

As it turned out she was afraid of what she would say to me. And that she'd lose me.

We were all huddled into what used to be the office of the Mother Superior, though it was really only in name. Bring a nun was a role we played, like a doctor or a waitress or a mayor.

Or a teacher.

These were the roles we played under the curse. And we didn't know why. I was a princess. A queen. Not a teacher. And I never thought I would be as good the one I became. We just went on. Never asking why we were who we were or why we were where we are.

And as I sat with the rest, I did not know I was going to get all those unasked questions answered. Whether I liked it or not

All five of us were there: Emma and Regina to my right, Maleficent...Mallie...and her new friend Holly. Blue was not in a habit but a light blue, form-fitting tee and jeans.

The show's about to start.

**Holly's POV**

I figured this was part of my Storybrooke indoctrination. I've already been through _Fairy Tales 101_ this morning, so maybe this is the advance course.

Chicken, my niece, is busy with Henry over at Charming's...probably watching basketball or something (if it's a Celtics game, they guys better pray they're not Laker fans...).

This Blue person (Blue IS a strange name, but it's probably better than Room Gor..ley...whatever) looks very nervous...and my red flags are raising already.

**Blue's POV**

It sit down, smile...or at least try to. This is not going to be easy. But they need to know everything if we expect to have a chance at survival.

Yeah, everything has come down to this.

I get right to the point. The reason we're here, I said, is because I know exactly what has been happening...Boston, Nova's kidnapping, everything else.

Several years ago...

"You're not going to start out with 'once upon a time...?'" Holly's interruption usually would have been enough for me to whip out my number 9 wand and turn her into a goat...but know who and what she was, I took a deep breath...and continued...

Several years ago...the lands of the enchanted forest were harmonious. There was no evil at all. But then one day, a dark force found its way into the kingdoms. We had been warned of its arrival for some time, and we were even given signs of its arrival, but they were ignored.

We had heard that this force had devastated lands beyond ours. But what it truly wanted was power. Power over all lands. The power to enslave every living thing.

The five were paying close attention to my story. I was hoping they would.

Well, we fairies were really the last line of defense against this force. Our powers go well beyond some of the mere parlor tricks that we've employed to help others.

"Like turning a pumpkin into a carriage?" Holly was inquisitive, charming, and driving me batty. Still I smiled and said 'kinda like that." I went on to say that if we were evil, and truly used the power all fairies possesed, we could obliterate the universe several times over.

Outside of a small gasp, Sweet Holly kept very still. Good.

The Dark Force had amassed a growing army of acolytes, willing to do his bidding. Including one so malevolent that her very name meant evil.

Holly looked with wide eyes at Mallie, who dipped her head down acknowledging that she was the aforementioned Mistress of All Evil...Maleficent.

But we also had a mole in the Dark Force's camp, and we soon learned his true plan...

**Holly's POV**

As Blue was talking about this mole, I felt Mallie's and squeeze tighter. I looked and I saw water at the bottom and red surrounding those beautiful hazel eyes of hers. I figured that Mollie sent was the mole Blue spoke about.

**Blue's POV**

...basically to take all the worlds...and there are more than the Enchanted Forest of this one...dismantle it...and reform it into his own evil image. For that, the Dark Force needs The Dust. And plenty of it. That's why they kidnapped Nova. To blackmail me for the dust.

Regina asks, but you know where the dust is, right?

I told them before all this happened...actually Leroy did...that there was a vein of diamonds in the mine...the richest he had ever seen, and these are the same diamonds we use for The Dust.

Emma asks, so who is this..._Dark Force_...?

He has control over all that's evil. He has minions in all parts of all of the worlds...

Holly asks, how many worlds are there? Maleficent answered that she could not conceive of the number.

Emma asks could the Dark Force be Spencer...King George. I nodded.

Five women inhaled and exhaled deeply.

I continued that I knew it would take magic far beyond mind to stop the King. I needed a warrior whose heart was pure, who was faithful, fearless, whose soul was guided by love, not evil.

Regina bowed her head and meekly said that it was a perfect description of Daniel...and Emma.

This was the part that I was dreading. When I nodded my head at both names.

When I told Regina that Daniel...and Emma...were indeed one-in-the-same.

As five sets of eyes widened, I knew this was not the first secret I'd spill tonight.

* * *

**Storybrooke Town Limits**

The van stopped on the side of the road. The lights were turned off in case anyone was following. On the road, no markers, except one yellow line in the middle of the two-lane blacktop

Inside, Greg had fallen asleep. He had been up for 30 hours on this caper and he was worn out. The others in the van...Rory, Maggie, Tamara, and Tink...weren't any better. And the cargo...one Cora Mills...was sliding in and out of consciousness.

The white Volvo DL 240 station wagon idled quietly on the other side of the line, headlight on full. Two figures stepped out...one was a man, handsome, striking. The other, a young woman, late 20's, black hair, wearing a dress.

The woman on the other side waved her hand. Suddenly, the "Welcome to Storybrooke" sign appeared. The woman motioned to the van to move forward, which it did. The van stopped next to the Volvo. The occupants piled out, save for Tink, who was tending to Cora.

The handsome man went to the van and climbed in, armed with a doctor's bag. Once in, he observed the older woman lying before him.

"How long has she been out, Tink?

"SInce we got her out, Whale. I had to use the wand to advance ourselves, But I know they're hot on our asses."

Whale looked up to Tink, then down again to Cora, fighting the cloud of unconsciousness that the older woman was under. "Follow us to the hospital."

Outside the others were talking with the dark-haired woman. "Tamara, had any problems?"

"Well, Chloe, outside of a bunch of men-n-black showing up, pretty much none."

Suddenly Whale jumped out of the van. "GOTTA GO!"

The Volvo and the Dodge van were repopulated with their original occupiers, but not before Chole wave her hand again, causing the Welcome sign to disappear, and with it, any trace of Storybrooke to the outside world.

* * *

**TBC**

* * *

_**Next chapter: The Blue Fairy tells the story of how Daniel became Emma, plus a huge revelation concerning one of the five women in the room.**_

_**And who...or what ...IS Chloe? (She's not THAT Chloe...)**_

_**I really need comments.**_


	7. Chapter 7: Book of Revelations Part 2

_Flashbacks are in italics. Some harsh language. The usual disclaimers. All the mistakes are mine._

* * *

**Blue's POV**

The fire in Regina Mills' eyes matched the fire that was forming in her hands, that were being held back by Emma Swan. The mayor was pissed at me, and I wouldn't blame her. I had just told her that not only was her True Love, the one killed by her mother, the one whose death she blamed on Snow White, was not only alive, but living in the body of one Emma Swan, the sheriff of the town she helped create...or she thinks she did...but who she was going to marry. Oh, yes, she wanted to kill me. Heavens, I'd want to kill me.

Regina was not mad at Emma, it wasn't her fault. And I don't think she was angry at Snow anymore...at least for that. I know Snow and Regina long ago buried the hatchet about Cora, they had made peace, then formed a friendship, the became stepmom and stepdaughter again. But finding this out was too much.

That made me anxious about everything else I had to tell her tonight.

It took four loving friends...Snow, Emma, Maleficent, and Holly to calm the mayor down to a point of lucidity.

How. Did. It. Happen? Regina was her most...well,Regina...when she was talking in angry measured tones. Thankfully, she gave me the jumping off point to explain what happened...

_The night that Cora did what she did, I saw the whole thing. I had assigned myself personally to be guardian angel for both Daniel and Regina. Regina was then, as she is now, a lovely creature, only the with the additions of youth and pure innocence. Daniel was also very handsome, a strong man, and...as Chloe would so colorfully say later, a stud-muffin._

_Everyone in the room knew the story: Cora confronts the couple, Cora shoves hand into Daniel's chest, Cora removes heart and crushes it, Regina destroyed forever._

_There were many things I could have done at that point, most involving Cora's death. But there was a prophecy to fulfill, plus I didn't want to give that bitch the satisfaction of winning. So..._

_Step one: while out of sight, I conjured up a soul vessel..._

A soul what? Must remember...Holly's new...don't wring her neck...she can kill me!

A soul vessel, I answered, is exactly what it means. You might say it Tupperware to preserve the spirit of a person. When a person in _our_ world dies, the soul only has a few moments where it can be preserved. The vessel can hold a soul indefinitely until it finds a new home. The soul, though, would not remember anything about its previous life, but would have the same basic qualities. Anyway...

_Step one: The vessel._

_Step two: That was the tricky part. There was timing involved: the soul has to be captured and secured in the vessel immediately it leaves the body. Which meant I had to catch it at the moment of expiration. And of course there was being caught. I did not know the exact extent of Cora's powers, and I figured that night was not a good one for discovery.._

_So you stop time. Long enough to get over to the body. You stay cloaked. The good thing is that fairy's can see the dead depart, so can witches. Good thing was that Regina was not in THAT club yet, not to mention being overcome with grief does do something to your attention span._

_It was Cora I was worried about. I had to count on that old bag of bones (ok, old hot bag of bones..she was very attractive for being so evil) to be so caught up in her reverie that she could not notice a dead soul evaporating into the mist, or in this case a bottle._

_Thank the gods Cora was a creature of habit._

And as much as I wanted to console you, Regina (I looked into her chocolate eyes to say it)...as much as I wanted to, I could not.

She looked at me with tears in her eyes. She knew I could not take back the years that Regina and Daniel could have had. But everything...her acquiring magic, her setting the curse, everything that had happened had to happen, because she had to here, at THIS moment, in order to stop the Dark Force. It had to be now...or never.

And if Cora ever found out what happened, the Force would destroy both Regina...and Cora.

_So I stored the vessel containing the essence of Daniel in a safe place. Then wait until the right moment._

_The trouble was that moment was 15 years later._

_In that time, I spent most of my waking hours trying to out maneuver the Dark Force. She found out about the deal that George made with Rumple to give George a son. I knew about the the seer Rumple sought out and what she told him before she died. I know because it was I who saved the seer afterwards. But she was troubled...you would call her insane. She became deadly._

Ginger, Regina exclaimed.

Yes, I answered. She was saved by a huntsman from being burned in her own oven. Rumple, in a rare moment of humanity for the Dark One, helped her fight her...hunger.

So Ginger was the one who gave us the dreams in the first place because she was the seer?

Yes. She has powers, but she is still blind.

But that's a story for another time...

_Fast forward to the night of the wedding of James and Snow. You did put on quite a show Regina _(The Evil Queen gave quite a smirk whole Good Queen Snow mumbled something about "showoff." Mal stifled a chuckle, while Holly, blissfully, was enthralled with my story). _Anyway, I had to be there. This was the first night that you, Snow, would be with James as husband and wife. I disguised myself as a server, pouring wine to the various attendees. My final serve was James, who received a goblet with wine...plus a special secret ingredient._

Regina was no longer angry, her hand in Emma's. She looked to her beloved and quipped, "I have called you many things in the last three years, but never a "special secret ingredient!" They kissed quickly, everyone else chuckled, and whatever tension there was in the room eased.

The hard part was over, but there were still questions.

**From Emma**: So why didn't anyone tell ME about this?

**Answer**: The short answer was that if the Dark Force...Albert Spencer...knew about you, you would never had made it out of that place you call Florida, with or without Henry.

**From Regina**: What about daddy? I mean I know he's alive and I'm grateful, but he didn't have to Answer_(she breaks down, knowing what she did)_

**Answer**: That was the Dark One's doing. He was the one who told you about your father's heart. The Dark One was manipulated by King George. The real Rumpelstiltskin would never have done that.

**From Snow**: So what does this Dark Force want...what's his goal.

**Answer**: I turn to the library behind me and grab a thin, black, leather-bound book. The book had now lettering and the cover was smooth. The was a bookmark near the front. I gave the book to Snow and I asked her open at the bookmark and read from where I had highlighted. That she did...

_The Dark Force poured one vial into the sea, and it became the blood of humans and every soul died in the sea. The Force poured another vial upon the rivers and fountains, and they too became blood. Another vial was poured unto the sun, and the people were scorched and burned._

_Another vial was poured, and all the kingdoms of all the lands were dark and the people cried in pain. Still another vial was poured, causing all the rivers to dry up..._

"Oh my God." Holly gasped as she recognized the wording "Some of the words are different, but that's the book of Revelations from the Bible."

I answered Holly: Your Bible holds many of the same prophecies that other apply to other worlds. And yes, the Dark Force intends to enslave all the worlds under his dark rule. And soon.

**Holly's POV**

Two weeks ago I was sitting on a Boston freeway, wondering how much time my 10% of my heart will give me, bitching about the various holes that my Celtics, my Red Sox, my Patriots, and the MassDOT (no way I'd claim them) have dug. My biggest worry, other than dying and not finding new ways to screw up my non-existent love life, was how will Maddie be cared for when I'm gone.

Two weeks later, I have a True Love who comes from a storybook, in fact all my friends are from fairytales.

And on top of all that, my back has been hurting since this afternoon. Its all I can do to sit straight.

So the Blue Nun (which remind me...a case of wine would go good about now) prattles on about some bad guy who might be the devil and how everyone in the room has to save the world. Everyone's asking questions like it was fucking Comic-con wondering if Claire and Elle would get together. _(I remember that because I shipped those two. they didn't get together and the show was gone the next season. But who listens to the fans anyway...anywayyyyy...)_

So I am supposed to take all this shit seriously. I am so close to kidnapping Mallie, getting Chicken, packing us all in the car and going back to Boston. Hell screw Boston, I'll move to North Carolina, or maybe even California. At least crazy makes sense there.

But this doesn't. I mean why am **I** here? Outside of being with the woman that I now would marry in an instant, why **am** I here?

"The good news is that the prophecy foretold a mighty fairy...more powerful than any even conceived...will come into our midst and help lead the forces of good against the force of Evil. Behold." The Blue Nun the outstretched her arms and beamed. In my general direction.

MY general direction.

I just sat there. This person just called me a fairy. And a savior.

And all I can think of: whatever shit they slipped me, when the hell does it wear off?

* * *

**TBC**

Next: More revelations, What happened with Cora...and everyone else in the hospital. And evil plays its next hand.

* * *

_A/N: First, yes I cribbed off THAT Book of Revelations. One day, I'll let you know why._

_Thanks to karjens44 and LOCISVU for their continued reading and reviews. I'd like more please._

* * *

_I know many of us are heartbroken today, not to mention angry. I'm probably older than many of you reading this, but I do know the pressures that The Boys are facing._

_I am not defending them, nor am I condemning them, as we mention in the disclaimers, OUAT is property of Disney/ABC and Kitsis/Horowitz. It is theirs, not ours._

_And maybe that's the rub. I understand as a writer the creative process. Maybe once, just once, a program could be created where the viewers had some sort of hand in that creative process. I'm not talking about "we read your letters and tweets, "nor am I talking about a gimmick episode where we vote on and ending or a name of a character, but an active role in the creation and construction of the series. A true collaboration between creator and fans._

_I don't know if it would be successful, but I hope its would be worth a try. And no matter how long it would last...10 weeks or 10 years, we would have the warmth of knowing that whatever happens on that show...relationships, interactions, whatever...that WE made it happen. Creators and fans._

_It would be a much better feeling than we have now...the producers being Cora, SwanQueen being Daniel...and we being Regina. Crushed and irreparably damaged._

_As they say, blessed be til next time._


	8. Chapter 8

_I don't think I've ever done a chapter where I had to put a trigger warning before. But for this I have to put in one for rape/attack. Nothing graphic._

_Oh, and a warning, this puppy is about to get dark._

_To those who have stuck with me for the past year, thank you. I promise it will all make sense...I hope._

_The usual disclaimers_

* * *

_**Previously:**_

_The Blue Fairy has just revealed that she rescued Daniel's soul/essence at the moment of his death, and arranged to have it transferred into the body of the newborn conceived by Prince James and Princess Snow, the baby who grew up to be Emma Swan._

_She also revealed the Seer was in reality the troubled Blind Witch, Ginger._

_Not to mention that the town's D. A. may also be Satan._

_Not to mention that the newcomer Holly is a fairy. One sent to save all._

_Nothing major..._

* * *

**Holly's POV**

_You're a fairy._

I sat in that chair, flanked by Mal and Regina, in a coma-like state. The joke had gone too far. I was looking for the hidden cameras or Howie Mandell or Betty White...or something...

_You're a fairy._

This had to be a joke. I know I can do things. I've seen it, I've felt it. But this has to be a dream. I'm no fucking fairy. I'm Holly Marie Morris, 28, born in North Carolina, raised in Boston. I care for children, I love my niece, and I have a crush on Keith Urban. I've fucked up every relationship I've ever had. I have a big big mouth and a bad heart. I am a lot of things but there's one thing I'm not...

I. Am...

_You're a fairy..._

Not...

_You're a fairy..._

A. Fucking...

_You're a..._

SHUT UP! JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP!

I ran...I got up from my chair and ran. Down the convent wall. I ran into a big guy with a beard and a girl he was kissing, but I didn't care. I ran out into the evening air. It was cool, but I didn't give a shit. If I had to I was going to run into town, grab my niece, drive out of this bug house real fast, and keep going till I got back to the hotel in Boston, but chicken to bed, grab some beer and get wicked drunk. I was only hoping they sold Sam Adams in forties.

I ran down the road, flanked by oaks and apple trees. Running for my life, or what was left of my sanity at least. Hell I've been running for most of my life.

* * *

_My 16th birthday. I've tried to forget it and now that damned memory chose this time to rear it's ugly head..._

_Some friends and I slipped away from the official, sanctioned festivities over to Medford for some B&B...Buds and bud. There was this guy. 17. Nice, but I wasn't interested. But he was horny. Like I said, 17._

_We both slipped away. Wooded area. Nothing but moonlight, trees, me, and him. We started kissing. Then I felt him stiffen. My night was over. His was just starting._

_Tried to shove his tongue...I wasn't having any of it. He got pushy. I got pushier. I knew where this was going. He pinned me against a tree. I guess I was more angry than anything. So I pushed._

_I'm pretty much 140 and and I have stayed that way, but I don't think I was strong. Or at least that strong. The kid...I swear he flew backwards...into a tree that was yards away. I actually heard the tree crack..._

_I ran. I got in my car. I sped home. I snuck in the house. I closed the door. I swore when I hit the bed I was having a heart attack._

_The next day I woke up. My heart was still in pain. The TV was on. They found a 17-year-old boy unconscious in the woods east of town. Apparently thrown against a tree with terrific force, the news-bimbo said. He'd live, but he doesn't remember anything of the past night._

_I wish I was that lucky..._

* * *

Now I'm running. I wish I stole a car, but I don't give a shit. Get to the B&B, grab Maddie, throw some money on the front desk, drive as fast as I can out of this dream, back to Boston, lay down and go to sleep.

And when I wake up, no witches or dragons or Snow White or Evil Queens. My heart will be back to fucked up but I don't care.

I was running so fast I didn't hear anything above me. No "swoosh" or anything. I just ran into something quite solid...

Something quite blonde...

And quite beautiful.

Mallie held me and tried to keep me from running. An hour before, it was the one place I would want to be. Now...I didn't know. I just had to get out of this, but Mallie kept me in place.

I screamed for her to let me the hell go, but she didn't..she just turned me around and forced me to look in her eyes.

A spell, maybe? Something to force me to fall in love? It was a waste of time because I was already there.

"What the hell are you doing, " she cried.

"Trying to wake up...I want out of this...this...dream."

"Holly...its not a dream. It's real"

"Look...I just want to go back home..."

Maleficent Crowe looked into my eyes. Then she kissed me hard. I closed my eyes. I was lost in her lips. So lost I didn't feel the change in the air. Or in my feet..it felt more like carpet than road...

Then she removed herself. And my eyes went wide.

I was indoors. And there was my flatscreen. And my computer. And the kitchen. And...I was back at my room at Copley..

"You wanted to go back to Boston?" Mallie looked directly at me with almost no expression. "You're in Boston."

* * *

**Storybrooke General Hospital**

**Same time**

They had rushed the woman into the ER. Dr. Whale was angry that the woman was not brought in by ambulance, but by a Dodge van of all things.

The older woman was slipping out of consciousness. Whale noted the signs of electroshock. It happened a year ago with Regina Mills, only this time. whoever did this knew what they were doing.

The doctor noted the five women and one man who came in with the woman. He did recognize two of them.

"Chloe, who is this?" Whale pointed to the woman on the gurney with much urgency.

"Cora Mills. We rescued her."

The dark-haired woman, Chloe and the blonde-haired pixie Tink alternated with the story...a compound in New Hampshire...Cora tortured much in the same way that Regina had been...almost dead...

The others...Greg, Tamara, Rory, and Maggie, milled around in the hallway, concerned about the woman they escaped with.

Suddenly, there was a loud cry..."REGINA! REGINA!"

The doctor rushed to the gurney where Cora was laying. She was wide awake. And very hysterical.

The doctor immediately injected something to try to calm her down, but there was an urgency in the seasoned brunette. Cora looked up before the drugs took effect. She recognized Chloe.

"Chloe...you have to get to my daughter...she and her sheriff are in danger..."

Cora started to feel weaker, but she had to say something and nothing would stop her from saying it. "Tell Snow...tell her I...forgive her...protect David...David is the tar..."

At that point, Cora Mills passed out.

* * *

**Boston**

**Copley Inn...Holly's room.**

**Holly's POV**

"LET...ME...THE FUCK...GO!"

Maleficent was trying to hold me and I was trying to get free. All I wanted to do was wake up from this goddamned nightmare. I just want to wake up with Chicken next to me...

_Chicken..._

Chicken...chicken...I looked around I couldn't find Maddie. Maleficent was still standing there, she had tears in her eyes, but I didn't give a fuck...I needed to find my niece. She was the only thing that was real and I needed to see her.

I looked through all the rooms. No Chicken.

I was suddenly angry. In a rage. And the only person who was there...

I didn't know where it came from...my anger...I don't know..but a white light burst through my arms and struck Mallie. It held her in mid air. And she was in pain. But I didn't care...I only cared about one person.

"WHERE'S. MY. NIECE?" I yelled at her. I totally forgot that just hours ago she was in my arms and that I was ready to give her my heart forever. That happiness...like everything else in the last few days...was not real, I was sure of it.

"Maddie's back...in...Storybrooke...safe...please, darling...let me down..."

I was doing this to her, and she still called me "darling." I had to let her down. Yes, I still loved her...whoever she was.

I collapsed on the carpet in tears. I was feeling whatever sanity I had leaving me. Mallie knelt next to me.

"Honey," she softly said, "I know all of this is a lot to take in. But the bottom line is that you were chosen to help us...to help save worlds. That you do have the powers of fairy."

"And you knew this all along?" My sarcasm was dripping.

"I swear...and I will continue to swear...that I did _not_ know you were the Gold Fairy until just a few minutes ago..."

"Now I'm a fucking Gold Fairy!" Not to mention in full sarcastic mode, now. "So where's my wings, huh? Maybe I need to hear some tinkle and I'll get wings...who the fuck am I , fucking Tinkerbell?"

"Actually, Tink has a bit more attitude than you." Mallie was starting to show a bit of sarcasm herself. In fact, if this was normal I'd give it five minutes before we'd be all over each othe. But then, this wasn't real.

But Mallie kept going: "You really don't believe all this..."

I just sat on the floor, silent.

"Get up!' Suddenly, she wasn't Mallie. She was more like Maleficent, Mistress of All Evil. I refused, then she grabbed my arm and pulled me up forcibly. "Get the fuck up, I said!"

Ok, I'm up.

"Holly, I'll make you a deal. I love you more than I have ever loved anyone, so I will show you the future...one we're trying to fight. This is not My vision, it IS the future...if after you see it, you refuse to help, I'll return Madison to you and you'll never see Storybrooke...'

Her lips quivered as she started to weep...

"...or me again."

I took a deep breath. I was wondering what she was conjuring up, but I decided to play along.

"Just remember," I said, "As much as I love you..if I say no...and you keep Chicken...I. Will. Kill. Your. Ass."

"Understood." Maleficent quietly responded. then she closed her eyes for a few moments, then opened them.

I noticed that the sunlight through the windows dimmed. A lot.

Mallie directed me to open the door. I did and we went through.

Usually, we'd go into the hallway of the fifth floor, but this time we went immediately through the outside via the ground floor.

I should have noticed that lack of light more clearly. The sky was dark grey. Almost like a nor'easter was about to hit.

The street outside was clean. Almost antiseptic, as a matter of fact. But it was not the Boston I loved. People were walking almost aimlessly through the street, all wearing some grey overcoat or something that looked ripped off from that mad scientist in _Despicable Me_.

Mallie waved her hands around us, and suddenly we were both wearing the same bland clothes. We also were wearing our hair pulled up and our makeup disappeared. And she warned me. "Don't kiss me, don't even smile. That's if you want to survive this."

We continued walking. She told me in this world all sexuality was a capital crime punishable by torture and death. Any pleasure was illegal.

Other things were forbidden: imperfections for one. Another would be individuality. A third I saw for myself. It was a Catholic Church that I went to once. I was a beautiful building and I enjoyed the experience. But it was gone. "They were all burned in one night, in every corner of every world. Here, the only thing you believe in is the King."

As we walked, I continued to notice the blandness of it all. No life. People walking with no purpose. Mallie continued to tell me the story of how one man deceived the worlds, claiming that he alone was the only force to repel a relenting evil. Of course, it was the King who was creating the evil, but the people didn't know. The King was the White Knight...but it was the King and his minions who defeated her.

I looked at her with curiosity. "Her?"

Mallie admonished me. "Don't even _seem_ curious. The only knowledge here comes from the King. If you even have a sense of wonder you could be killed."

Suddenly, almost on cue, a black motorcycle strode up. Riding was a man clad in jet black, and a helmet with a hood...couldn't see the face. But I did see the badge.

The man looked at us carefully, up and down. No greeting as he spoke. "I wanted to make sure...were you using magic?"

Mallie shook her head. I followed her lead.

The cop: "You do know the penalty for use of magic..?"

Mallie shook her head. I followed her lead (even though I didn't know).

The cop sped away, I asked the obvious question, I got what probably was the obvious answer from Mal: The penalty for using magic was death.

And there was something else about this new Boston. There were no advertisements, save one...

A black-and-white photo of a stern looking man, Caucasian, early 60's it looked. Mal recognized the man.

"Storybrooke knows him as Albert Spencer, the down prosecutor. The old world knows him as King George."

"Doesn't look like a nice guy," I responded.

"I had to deal with him as a judge in this world and as a queen in the other. I've been called evil...and with good reason...but this man transcends evil."

"He sounds like Satan."

"He is."

And as if to punctuate the point, at the bottom of each picture, there was one word, in bold block type.

"OBEY."

This was a very dark place. Mal told me that in this reality there were no freedoms. You were told what to eat, wear, who you would be paired with. Sex would only be for procreation...which would mean what Mal and I have...whatever it is...was illegal.

"Punishable by death," Mal added.

I wondered what happened. How did the greatest nation on Earth allow it to? I looked into Mal's eyes and asked, "you know what happened. Did they even put up a fight?"

Mal's eyes watered. She quietly said they did.

Then without an extra word, Maleficent wave a hand, enveloped us into a cloud of green smoke.

Within moments, we were both back in the center Storybrooke.

But it was unrecognizable: The town I fell in love with had been torched. We walked through the center of town. Gold's store, the Inn, the clock tower, all destroyed or partially damaged. The Mayor's mansion..burned to the ground.

And the bodies.

And the stench of death. The strong odor of decaying flesh emanating from the dead bodies strewn all over the streets of Storybrooke. Mal tells me that this was the final battle was staged here. They fought hard. Guns, magic. Villains became heroes. In the end, though, they all fell.

We found our way to the center of town where the the great majority of the bodies were concentrated.

As soon as I started recognizing the dead, my heart started sinking. Granny and Ruby were embracing. There was Blue, next to Nova and Leroy. All of the people that I was starting to know were dead before I had a chance to.

Then in the center. we say them. We both exploded into tears. Regina. Emma. Henry. Snow and Charming all dead. I prayed that what I was looking for I would not find.

But I did.

Attached to Henry.

I knelt down and I embraced her lifeless body. If I believed in God, I stopped then. Why did You allow this to happen? Why.

And as I held her close to me, I screamed in anger. In pain. In loss.

"MADDIE! CHICKEN! MY CHICKEN...WHY?"

I continued to yell her name, then I noticed. The final cruel joke. Someone had ripped Chicken's heart out.

And as Maleficent and I looked, rolled dead bodies over...everyone in Storybrooke had their hearts ripped out!

That's when I lost it. And I lost it on Maleficent.

I lunged at her. I pounded my fists onto a body I love only hours ago. I screamed that this was all her fault, that it was an illusion, that it was not real, just a sick joke to get me to play and even sicker Game of Thrones with her and her buddies.

She did not make a move to defend herself. She just said "It is real."

And she sobbed. Then explained.

"This is the reality of the future. Two weeks from where you came from. We needed your power...you, really...to stop King George..."

Then she came and held me in her arms. "I did not want to show you this, but it can be stopped. You can stop this. WE can stop this."

And then she kissed me. Our tears mingled with our lips. Somehow I knew that I had to do this. And I knew Mallie would be with me.

I backed away from the kiss. I opened my eyes.

"Back so soon?"

It was Regina. Emma. Snow. Blue. They were all there. Alive.

I ran to Regina and held her tight. And I knew what I had to do.

"I have to see Chicken!"

"We're not finished here, dear...and beside, where did you go off to for two minutes..?

I didn't answer Regina and I didn't care. I was insistent.

So we all drove back into town to Granny's (Blue said we would finish our...whatever...there). I pushed Regina to drive faster (I could get _tres _obnoxious when I'm insistent). When I got there, there she was...

.

Chicken and her new-found friend Henry were sitting at the counter, sipping on malteds and watching _The Middle_. They looked bored to tears.

And it was the most beautiful sight I had ever seen.

I ran to her, said nothing. I just bawled like a baby and hugged Chicken for a long time, like letting go would be the end of me. Henry was wondering what was going on, everyone one else was scratching their heads, Maddie looked puzzled, but I kept on hugging her and crying.

Then I looked up. I saw Mallie. And I knew exactly what I was going to do. I loved these people. I loved Chicken more than my life. And nothing was going to harm them. I wouldn't let it.

And I looked up at the woman I loved. She knew, I didn't have to say.

I was going to war.

* * *

**TBC**

_Reviews, please..._


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